“This bald-faced hornet nest caught my eye because of its large size, beautiful patterns, and attachment to the branch with gorgeous foliage,” said photographer Jackie Robidoux, who captured this image in Milford, New Hampshire. In spring, the queen uses her mandibles to strip tree bark and other fibrous plant matter, combining these with her saliva to create materials to build the nest. The nest begins as a single chamber, which expands as the colony grows and hundreds of workers (infertile females) contribute to the construction. In autumn, the queen lays her last eggs, which hatch and develop into males and fertile females: the next generation of queens. As cold weather sets in, the males and original queen die, and the new queens disperse to overwinter in tree crevices, underground, or in other sheltered areas, leaving behind an empty nest.